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The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America |  | Author: Douglas Brinkley
Publisher: Harper
Category: Book
List Price: $34.99
Buy New: $17.95
as of 3/20/2010 11:47 CDT details
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Seller: Deas
Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 8209
Format: Deckle Edge
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 960
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 2
ISBN: 0060565284
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.911092
EAN: 9780060565282
ASIN: 0060565284
Publication Date: July 28, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
BRAND NEW
Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, August 2009: "The movement for the conversation of wild life and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method." So wrote Theodore Roosevelt, known as the "naturalist President" for his efforts in protecting wildlife and wilderness, merging preservation and patriotism into a quintessential American ideal. The Wilderness Warrior, Douglas Brinkley's massive(ly readable) new biography, intrepidly explores the wilderness of influences (Audubon and Darwin), personal relationships (Muir and Pinchot), and frontier adventures (too many to mention) that shaped Roosevelt's proto-green views. Topping 800 pages (ironically, one wonders how many trees fell for the first printing), The Wilderness Warrior makes an excellent companion to Timothy Egan's The Big Burn and Ken Burns's The National Parks: America's Best Idea. --Jon Foro
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 52
 Shameful lack of editing makes for a painful read March 17, 2010
Larry F. Snead
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I can't believe this book actually had a copy editor. What did HarperCollins do, give her an hour to do it? I'm on page 564 and this caused my frustration to finally boil over: "On September 10, 1907, he created the 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest in Southeastern Alaska, the largest ever formed. On July 1, 1908, he merged the Alexander Archipelago with the Tongass. The new Tongass National Forest-eventually 17 million acres-was a historical feat." Sure that logic defying repetition is a small thing, but by this point in the book, things that don't make sense, that haven't been set up properly, etc. are occurring on nearly every page. Reading it I almost expect it to descend into complete gibberish by the end. A real shame, because I find the topic hugely interesting and am learning a lot from the book. But because of the lack of editing, this book should only be purchased by libraries.
 Roosevelt, the enviromentalist March 3, 2010
Michael DENNISUK (trenton, michigan USA)
Theodore Roosevelt did more for the conservation movement than any US President. "The Wilderness Warrior" chronicles his career as an enviromentalist from it's childhood beginnings through the final days of his presidency. This thoroughly researched tour de force is an extraordinary piece of scholarship. This is an excellent addition to the Roosevelt library. A word of caution: those who are just starting their Roosevelt journey should read some of the other fine works first. This biography focuses almost exclusively on him as an enviromentalist.
The wilderness Warrior Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America February 22, 2010
Ralph D. Hermansen (Lake Isabella, CA United States)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley is a delightful and inspiring read. It is delightful because Theodore Roosevelt (TR) realized the irreplacable value of our natural treasures and fought vigorously and successfully to preserve them. He loved the natural wonders of America such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and the coral paradise of the Florida islands. He was bird lover first and foremost and was appalled at the wholesale slaughter of beautiful birds for their plumes. He grew to treasure all wildlife and acted to not only save birds, but also bison, elk, deer, and any threatened animal. The book is inspiring because TR was untiring and relentless in his missions. This is a fairly long book (8oo plus pages) and I read a few pages each morning with my usual two cups of coffee in my recliner. From my comfortable perch, I have a hilltop panoramic view of the Southern Sierras. Everyday as I read further, I felt uplifted by the efforts of this great president and wished he were alive today.
Brinkley repeatedly makes the point that Charles Darwin had a huge influence on TR's thinking. I found this point to be important because here we are a century later than TR's time and Darwin's immense contribution to our understanding of life is not yet appreciated by the great unwashed masses. Could an avowed Darwinist be elected president today? I doubt it. TR was frail and asthmatic as a child and fought his way to good health and high physical fitness by using a strenuous lifestyle as his cure. The Darwinian concept of natural selection was evermost in his mind and forged his philosophies. TR had a mental strength (i.e., toughness)and determination that few possess.
Brinkley barely touches on the other great accomplishments of TR such as building a mighty naval force, digging the Panama Canal, and passing anti-monopoly legislation to restore competition to the land. The book is overflowing with TR's accomplishments in protecting forests, natural wonders, antiquities, animals and birds alone. He added 234 million acres to the nation's national parks, national forests, national monuments, and national bird preserves. He had many friends that were dedicated to his causes and Brinkley develops those relationships in the book very thoroughly. He made many enemies as well. He was fearless even against powerful and rich interests. This is another reason I find the book so inspirational. Such courage and fortitude are hard to find these days.
I hope as many people as possible read this marvelous book. We, today, don't appreciate the legacy that has been handed down to us. If we don't appreciate it, we won't fight to preserve it. So, buy this book, read it, enjoy it as I did, and pass it on to others to read.
Ralph Hermansen 2/22/2010
 Editing badly needed February 22, 2010
Harley G. Shaw (Hillsboro, NM United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I want to support those who say the book needed an editor. To add to the errors mentioned by others, note that Brinkley erroneously places white-tailed deer on the North Kaibab and attributes the irruption of deer on the Kaibab Plateau to Roosevelt's policies. The North Kaibab has only mule deer, and the story of the North Kaibab deer irruption is long, complicated, and oft-told. Brinkley seems to suggest that the massive increase in deer on the Kaibab was a good thing. Instead, the history of the Kaibab is used as one of the best cases of mis-management and resulting habitat degradation.
If historians are going to write about wildlife, they probably should have a biologist as editors. I imagine the reverse holds true for biologists that dabble in history.
A Monumental Effort Well Worth Your Time February 14, 2010
C. W. Emblom (Ishpeming, Michigan USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It is difficult to add anything new to what has already been said regarding this wonderful new book on Theodore Roosevelt. The book has a hefty text of 817 pages, and is the longest book I have ever read. Be patient with it. It is certainly worth the time and effort even though you may not know much about Roosevelt other than he is one of the fixtures on Mount Rushmore. This book focuses primarily on his efforts on behalf of conserving the natural and wildlife resources in the United States despite the howls of protest from the titans of railroad companies, lumber barons, and mine owners who would rather rape the land in search of a few dirty dollars. This Republican president would never make it as a Republican today. Roosevelt was responsible for creating five national parks, eighteen national monuments, in addition to several federal bird reservations, national game preserves, and national forests. Much of what succeeding generations have been able to enjoy can be traced to the foresight of Theodore Roosevelt while his detractors would willingly have sacrificed the land for a few quick dollars.
This book is also about other conservationist heroes such as John Muir, Iowa congressman John Lacey, and warden Guy Bradley who was murdered in the line of duty protecting birds from rookeries who killed for the feathers. It is also full of interesting anecdotes. When Roosevelt and Muir were camping in Yosemite Roosevelt was regaling Muir with tales of his big game hunting. A bored Muir finally asked, "When are you going to get beyond the boyishness of killing things?" Roosevelt responded with a "I guess you're right." Roosevelt considered Thomas Jefferson "vastly overrated", but felt he deserved greatness for his purchase of the Louisiana territory from France for fifteen million dollars. Roosevelt also didn't care for the gasoline engine because "they scared the birds."
I knew Roosevelt was on Mount Rushmore for his contributions to conservation during the years of his presidency, but until I read this book I had no idea of the magnitude of his contributions and of others who contributed as well. We can be thankful that these men lived to preserve the beauty of America for future generations instead of jumping at the chance of temporal wealth through lumbering or mining. Don't be intimidated by the 817 pages that make up the text of this book. It may take you a while to get through it, but the time will certainly be worth it.
I did find three minor typing errors the author may want to correct in a paperback format of the book. Page 465 the sixth line from the top. The last word "the" is printed twice. Page 477 the third line from the top. The word "the" is printed twice. Page 644 the fourth line from the bottom. The word "looking" is printed twice.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 52
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